Solomon: Meet Scott Drew, Baylor's controversial coach

CommentaryDrew's success at Baylor lauded ... and condemned

By Jerome Solomon |
March 20, 2010

Baylor coach Scott Drew has rubbed several of his Big 12 colleagues the wrong way during his tenure in Waco.

NEW ORLEANS — Some Big 12 coaches just don't like Scott Drew. And everybody knows it.

Smartly, the Baylor basketball coach downplays any rifts.

Drew says the coaches in the Big 12 are much “tighter” now than they were when he arrived in the league seven years ago.

As evidence of that, he pointed to text messages he received from league brethren after his Bears advanced in the NCAA Tournament with a 68-59 victory over Sam Houston State on Thursday.

“I got a number of text messages, (saying) ‘congratulations' or ‘good luck' or ‘we'll be cheering for you,' ” said Drew, whose team faces Old Dominion today in the second round. “I think sometimes something might get out (about discord), and now all of a sudden people think perception is reality.”

In this case, reality is the perception, and Drew knows it. Actually, it's kind of funny.

Even though they might want Baylor to represent the league well with a nice run in the NCAA Tournament, it's a good bet Drew didn't get text messages from all of the 11 other programs in the conference. Bookmakers would set the over/under at seven.

As one Big 12 assistant coach recently told me: “The best way to put it is there is some tension between our staff and his staff, and it's because of the way they've done things. Let's just leave it at that.”

Problem is the other coaches won't leave it at that. You bring up Drew and they are apt to go off.

As likable as Drew is, he has irked some coaches with his recruiting style, crossing lines, they say, that coaches shouldn't cross, particularly with so-called negative recruiting tactics. Generally, they stop short of accusing the Bears of outright cheating. But only just short.

It is fascinating to watch. But if you like underdogs, you're rooting for Drew and his Bears to keep getting it done. (And for Drew, who is almost certain to start popping up on wish lists for open jobs, to keep getting it done at Baylor.)

The big boys in the Big 12 need tweaking every now and then. Drew has done some tweaking.

He took over a program that was reeling after a player murdered a teammate and former coach Dave Bliss was caught in major rules violations. But the young, aggressive and ridiculously optimistic Drew hit the recruiting trail like a guy who was running an elite program.

Good players at heart of it

It wasn't long before people started seeing Baylor's name mentioned by some good recruits. Other coaches were shocked (and peeved).

Perhaps Drew's crew has broken a coaching code or two with inaccurate information or deemed-to-be unnecessary attacks in trying to lure players to Waco. At least they jumped in the ring swinging.

Baylor is not supposed to be able to recruit these type players, right? Good thing Drew doesn't believe that.

“I think it's a personal style,” Drew said at a news conference Friday. “We're one of those people if we see a good basketball player, we're going to recruit them. We're not going to say, ‘well, he's not going to come to our school or he's going to go to this school or that school.'

“Our job is to recruit elite players and bring them to our school. If we do that, we're going to be successful. So we're definitely going to do that. We're smart enough to know that if you don't have good players, you're not a good coach.”

If that's the measuring stick — and we know that it is — Drew is a good coach.

This team, this program, is good. These Bears are a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a legitimate threat to make it to the Final Four. The Bears have quality guards — the highest-scoring backcourt in the Big 12 — and active big men, who will be tested inside by 11th-seeded Old Dominion.

Should we care that they irked a few coaches along the way?

Green with envy

From Tweety Carter, the first McDonald's All-American to play for Baylor, to 6-10 Ekpe Udoh, the shot-blocking Michigan transfer with arms like helicopter blades, that ceiling Baylor is supposed to live under doesn't appear to exist anymore.

Will violations be discovered down the road? Maybe, but until then how can you not applaud Drew's effort?

If he turns out to be a hypocrite — selling Christian values but running a devilish program — it will come to light.

It is unfair to expect that to be the case, however. Even if you've listened to the whining and semi-accusations from other coaches.

It is just good to see Baylor with some swagger.

Just because they hadn't won an NCAA Tournament game in 60 years before Thursday, that doesn't mean the Bears are supposed to be satisfied with being an also-ran.

These Bears say a Sweet 16 appearance in Houston next week, certain to bring out a strong green-and-gold contingent at Reliant Stadium, won't do it, either.

“Our goal is not to win one or two games; our goal is to make it to the Final Four and hopefully win the national championship,” Carter said. “That's something we focus on.”

If the Bears reach their goal, many more congratulatory text messages are in order for Drew. How many? Well, if you're betting, take the under.